Not Human
by NarosofTwilight
Summary: When a group of get-rich-schemers plan their first kidnapping, they soon learn that the 8 year old child they kidnapped is not human and that he wants them to play his game. Inspired by the film Whisper Enjoy!
1. Trust Me I Know

Chapter One- Trust Me I Know

The year was 1994 when a group of people wanted to commit a crime that was going on everywhere; kidnapping children. They had scammed, stolen, and one time killed for money. But it wasn't enough for them. They wanted more.

Their names were Sharron Beagles, Griff Mooren, Florene White, Henry Davidson, Keith Rivers, and Shirley Kemps. They were the most greediest people alive who joined together to make money. It was pathetic.

With winter closing in they had to act fast.

They wanted to strike the richest person they could find. "I found the perfect target!" Florene annouced. The group leaned in to hear her. "The Steiner Family," she explained "they have three children, a daughter and twin boys. Their names are Lilia, Cain, and Rion. Their mother and father are famous scientists and make over ONE MILLION dollars a year, each!"

"That's two million dollars a year," Shirley gasped "That's alot money!"

"Being wasted on bratty children," Griff scoffed "I'd say we kidnap the older twin. The boy Cain."

"Why not Lilia?" asked Sharron "Girls can't fight back that well. Besides, we'll scare the hell out of her anyway, she won't do anything stupid to get her killed."

"How old are the children?" Keith asked.

"Lilia is thirteen and her brothers are seven." Florene answered "Their birthdays will be tomorrow. The paper says it all here. It'll be a huge birthday party."

"The perfect opportunity to snag one of them," Henry smirked. "But the boys look 100 alike. How can we tell the difference?"

"That's already taken care of m'friends," Florene laughed "I went around saying I was the boys' teacher and was going to get them birthday gifts. I asked how I could tell them apart so that I could give them their presents from me personally. They said Cain doesn't like to smile, in fact he never smiles, whereas Rion does like to smile. See I did all the work for ya in a matter of minutes! This'll be a sitch."

The group laughed and began to plan how they were going to kidnap the soon-to-be eight year old boy.

* * *

The next day, Florene dressed as a teacher and gave herself the alias Ms. Linberg. The plan was for her to give Rion his gift and lead Cain outside to get a big gift from her. When the boy takes the bait, Keith will grab him and put him in the van, with Florene leaving the ransom note in a noticable spot, then they wait for there on end. "A simple plan," Florene smiled as she tucked in her shirt and made herself look presentable. "What are you four gonna do while I do all the work?"

"Wait here in the van, duh." Shirley rolled her eyes.

"Oh wow," Florene response was "the dumb-blonde wants to lose her damn teeth."

"Girls!" Henry interrupted "Kill each other after we get the money."

Florene got out of the van and went up to the house with her gifts for Rion. She knocked on the door and was welcomed in by Mrs. Steiner. "Hello Ms. Linberg!" she happily greeted "Do come in. Sorry for the mess in the hallway, the children are having a grand time."

"I don't expect to be here long," Florene said "I'm here to give the boys their presents."

"Oh..." Mrs. Steiner said sadly. "I was hoping you could stay awhile. An hour or two." Florene froze and thought, _Damnit! Think quickly!_ "Could I call some of my friends, please? And my brother?" she asked.

"Why of course." answered Mrs. Steiner. "There's a phone in the living room, the children aren't there so there won't be any problems. Here, let me show you the way."

Mrs. Steiner led Florene to the living room and pointed to the phone. But she and Florene weren't the only two in the room. Standing by the entry from the hallway, looking blankly at the two women was a little boy. He had short brownish-blonde hair that looked well mixed in together and had ocean green eyes. He wore presentable clothes; a white collared shirt, navy blue vest, black pants, and black dress shoes. "Cain..." his mother said "why aren't you with the other kids?"

"Ready or not, here I come!" a little girl yelled.

Cain ran throught the living room, past the women, into the other hallway and disappeared from their sight. The little girl ran into the room and looked underneath the furniture and the curtains. She laughed and whooped out; "I see Kenny outside!" then ran out the room.

Mrs. Steiner laughed. "No wonder why they were all so quiet," she said. "Well, Ms. Linberg, the room's all yours." When she left, Florene used her cellphone and called Griff. "_What?_" he asked.

"We're gonna be here awhile," she said.

"_Why? Did you screw up?_" asked Griff. "_You always screw up!_"

"We need to respect our target!" Florene hissed. "Don't you get it?! We can't let them see through our plan! Now come over with the others and leave early. And don't be late!" With that she hung then turned around to see Cain once more. "Oh," she smiled "hello Cain. What brings you here?"

Cain said nothing. All he did was look at her cellphone, then her. "Your phone," she said "it didn't work, so I used my cellphone."

Cain still remained silent. He noticed the phone cord was still in tact and there was nothing wrong with it. Florene placed her finger over her mouth and whispered; "Don't tell your mother. Keep it between the two of us, okay?" The child continued to stare at her and slowly grinned. He then left the room with the grin on his face. Florene sighed and placed her phone back in her pocket. "That was close." she said. "At first I thought he was going to figure out that-"

"There was nothing wrong with the phone." punned the mysterious child voice behind Florene. She whirled around and saw a smiling boy standing by the wall of the living room. "Let me guess," she said "Rion Steiner, right?" The boy nodded. He, too, had short brownish-blonde hair that was well mixed together and ocean green eyes. He wore presentable clothes as well; a long sleeved collared shirt, a navy blue vest, black shorts, knee high socks, and black dress shoes. Rion cocked his head to the side and smiled. "Are you my or Cain's teacher?" he asked.

"I'm both," Florene said.

"That's a lie." Rion said as he turned his back towards her. "If you were my teacher, I'd reconize your face."

"Well...uh-"

The door rangged. Rion looked at Florene then walked away while saying; "It's for you." Florene rushed to the door and answered it. Henry, Griff, and Sharron were there. "Where's Keith and Shirley?" she asked.

"In the van." Griff answered "let's get some cake, the boy and the hell out of here ASAP." Florene rolled her eyes. "I saw the twins." she said. "Rion wears black shorts and Cain wears black pants. That should help you."

They went into the party room where there was a group of teenagers talking. One stopped talking to look at the group of fakers. Fourteen year old Lilia. She had brownish-red hair mostly dark red and green eyes. She wore lovely appropriate clothes; a pink dress with a pink sash to go with it, white dress socks, and black Mary-Jane shoes. She stood up and approached the group to greet them. She gave a curtsy to them. "A pleasure to meet all of you, I am Lilia Steiner." she said "How may I help you?"

"When will you all open your presents?" Griff asked rudely.

"At one o'clock." answered Lilia "An hour from now. Will you stay until then?"

"Whatever..." murmured Griff and left to find a place to sit.

Lilia looked at the man and as soon as they left her sight, she shook her head. "How disgusting." was all she could say and got back to her guest, who too, were disgusted in the man.

An hour past, the cake was cut and eaten along with ice cream, the games were played, the conversations ended and now the presents were to be opened. The children opened their gifts and were excited. "A puppy!" Lilia cried "We've longed for one! Thank you mother!"

"That was a gift from your father from his business trip," Mrs. Steiner smiled. "Do give him your thanks later on, children." Henry noticed Cain sitting in a chair, holding a huge box of crayons, markers, colored pencils and paint. He felt a little uneasy looking at the boy. "Now's our chance." Griff whispered to Florene. She nodded and walked over to Rion and gave him his gift, then Lilia, and approached Cain. "I have a special gift for you, Little One," she smiled "want to come with us?"

"We gotta go." said Henry as he forced Sharron and Griff out of the door. "Thank you for coming." Mrs. Steiner called out to them and looked at Cain and Florene. "Cain if she has something for you," she smiled "go ahead and get it. I'll watch."

Cain looked at his coloring set. He got out of his seat and walked outside with the young woman, taking it with him.

Outside, Florene waited for the van and Keith since the others left when she took Cain with her. "It'll be here soon," she said. Cain looked at her hands that were shaking in fear and waited beside her. Mrs. Steiner looked out the window and smiled. "Cain will be fine Lilia," she assured her daughter. "He knows her so well."

Lilia nodded and got back to the party with Rion. Meanwhile, Florene dialed on her cellphone for Shirley. She picked up. "What's taking you so damn long?!" she snarled.

"Keith had to take a whiz and I don't have the keys." Shirley said.

"You two weren't having sex while we were gone were you?"

"Keith's your boyfriend girl, not mine. Why would I want to get my freak on with him?"

"Whatever, hurry your asses up!!"

Florene looked down at Cain who was looking at the trees across the street. "Are you using your photographic memory?" she asked as she smiled. He just nodded.

A van finally came and Florene smiled. "Happy Birthday, kid."

* * *

After the party, Mrs. Steiner looked out the window to see Cain and Florene, gone. "Cain!" she gasped and ran outside searching for her child. "Cain!" she called "Cain! Where are you?!" She noticed what appeared to be a piece of paper in the snow and snatched it up.

It was a ransom note.

It said;

**To Whom that may concern,**

**We have taken your child, Cain, if you ever want to see him again you will do exactly as we say.**

**We want a sum of four million dollars within 2 months.**

**Take it to a warehouse 10 miles from your house for further instructions.**

**If you do not comply, we will KILL YOUR SON.**

**Don't even think about calling the cops either or you will put his life in jeapordy.**

**You have 2 months, choose wisely.**

Mrs. Steiner dropped to her knees and wepted hopelessly, while Lilia and Rion watched from the window.

"They took Cain..." Rion said. "What'll we do?"

"Nothing," Lilia answered and she picked up the puppy and sat down in a chair. "We wait."

"Why?

"Those kidnappers are new at this, they won't get too far." Rion looked at his sister and quietly back at his weeping mother. "How do you know that?" he asked. Lilia smiled and rubbed the puppy's head.

"Trust me, Rion," she said "I know."


	2. The Perfect Room

Chapter Two- The Perfect Room

Cain sat, bound, gagged and blindfolded with Shirley and Henry on his left and right.

"You know we're not going to hurt you right?" Henry asked. Cain nodded and looked at Shirley. "What are you looking at kid?" she asked. "Oh yeah that's right. Nothing! You can't see with a blindfold on."

"Would you shut up?!" snarled Sharron "You can't even make a hyena laugh with your corny jokes!"

"It wasn't a joke Sharron." Shirley said "It was _my_ joke."

"Well it still wasn't funny."

"Screw you."

The van was running out of gas and Keith looked for the nearest gas station. When he did, it was night. "Well ain't this some bull!" yelled Griff "We were suppose to be at the damn house hours ago!" Keith ignored the ignorant man and pulled into the gas station. "Stay in here with the kid," he told the group. "Act natural."

"How the hell we gonna act natural with a tied up brat in the back?" Griff demanded.

"Would you shut the hell up and act natural?" said Keith and went to get gas. Griff sighed and shook his head, then looked at Cain as he sat quietly in the van. Cain turned his head towards the man. "What?" he asked the boy. "You got somethin' to say?"

"Leave him alone, Griff." Henry said. He placed his hand on Cain's shoulder. "Just ignore him. He's a little drunk in the head."

Keith was approaching the van, shaking his head. "The van's not going anywhere," he said "the gas machines are broken." The group booed and started having fits. "Let's steal someones car then, shit!" Sharron said, agravated that they wasted, what Griff calls it, a "shit-load of gas" to drive and kidnap the kid. Shirley pulled out spare keys and laughed. "I snagged it from the counter across the street. Funny, huh?"

"You really are an idiot!" yelled Sharron, "they'll reconize you and they'll find us!"

"Don't worry," Shirley said "the woman was gettin' her freak on she ain't know I took it. It has a trunk, we'll put the kid in there, and I snagged some gas for the van so we won't need to stop anywhere and we'll be able to get where we need to go without anty problems! I'm smart like that."

"I have to admit," Florene said "I'm impressed. Get the kid Griff."

"Why?"

"Because I fuckin' said so. Do it."

"Bitch."

"I heard that."

Griff grabbed Cain and walked over to the parked car. Using the key, he unlocked the trunk and placed him in it. "Okay, kid," he told the boy. "Here are the rules of being in this trunk. Rule #1: No kicking. Rule #2: No screaming. And rule #3: No sounds. Yeah I know they're all the same but follow them, we won't have any problems. Understand?" Cain shook his head up and down. "Good." Griff closed the trunk and went into the drivers seat.

Hours later, the group arrived to an abandoned house that has been closed for over ten years. "Home sweet home!" cried Sharron "Get all the food and other shit inside before it freezes." The group grabbed all that they bought. Sure enough, they forgot about Cain for a few minutes, and it was Henry who got him out of the trunk.

"All right kid," Henry said as he placed the child onto the ground. "You can start walking now." Cain started to walk and stopped at the stairs then proceeded to walk up them. Henry shook his head while chuckling. _Funny kid._ he thought and followed behind. Once he got in, the group looked at him with a type of dislike towards him. "This was too easy!" laughed Griff. "All that cash she'll give us for this twerp!" Shelly untied Cain but left the blindfold on then removed cloth from his mouth. "Sorry for gagin' ya." she said "But we didn't wanna hear you scream, you get our drift?" Cain nodded, Shirley placed him into an empty room that had a bathroom within it. "Yo, Cain!" Henry called "You can take the blindfold off now."

Cain removed the blindfold from his eyes. He then placed it back on and walked out of the room. The group whooped, laughed and cheered until Florene noticed him. "Gotdamit Shirley!" she hissed "You forgot to lock the door!"

"What do you want kid?" Sharron asked. Cain said nothing. "His coloring set's what he wants, Sharron," Henry said "isn't that right Cain?" Cain nodded a bit. "I'll get it..." murmured Shirley. "I need some air anyway." She got up from her seat, grabbed the car keys and went outside. She grabbed the coloring set and closed the trunk, then looked at the van. _We can't have these two vehicles here!_ she thought,_ There's too much evidence!_ Shirley went back into the house and gave Cain the coloring set and he went back into the room.

This time, is was Florene who locked the boy in the room. Cain, once again, removed the blindfold off his eyes and opened the case. He noticed the other crayons that were in cardboard boxes. There was enough in this room. Construction paper, sketch books, the wooden wall, and his case full of colors.

To him, it was the perfect room.


	3. Sketchpad

Chapter Three- Sketchpad

"That kid's been awfully quiet," Sharron remarked to everyone. "He's not screaming, making noises, crying or any of the other shit that victims do when they're being held for ransom."

Shirley, however, was biting her thumb nail and rocking back and forth looking out the window at the van. "We have to get rid of the van..." she said. Everyone looked at her, surprised. "Nice one, Shirley." Griff chuckled, he started to mock her. "'Oh let's get rid of the van, thay'll track us that way!' What a laugh!" The group laughed. "I'm serious!" she yelled. "We get rid of the van or we'll be in the back of one to jail!"

"Chill Shir," Keith said "Griff's only messin'."

"We need to get rid of that van!" yelled Shirley, "I'm not fuckin' playin'! The van has all the evidence inside of it. We have to get rid of it, now!" Florene shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "You're as serious as Henry when he thinks he sees things," she laughed. "Maybe tomorrow, right now, just have a drink. We just accomplished the impossible. The van's shit for the moment."

Henry looked at the van and turned to the group. "I think she's right you guys." he replied "The van'll hafta go tonight."

"One car is less complications in this ransom shit we're doing," Griff said. "Take the damn thing to a deserted spot and burn it up. I'll pick you up when I see the flames."

"Make sure it's extremely far from this cabin," Shirley added, "they'll inspect the area if it's close by."

"I know, I know," Henry flagged his hand to her and left. "What the hell's eating you?" asked Florene. Shirley said nothing. The truth was as clear as the snow on the ground. There were "things" in the vehicle, besides the evidence in it of the abduction, she didn't want anyone to find out about.

Henry drove the van about ten-twelve miles away, to a deserted spot no one goes to. _Time to destroy all of the evidence._ he thought as he poured gasoline on, in and around the van and pulled out a match to set it on fire. Suddenly he noticed something he overlooked so many times it was ridiculous. It appeared to be bones. Human bones.

"What the hell...?" he said to himself aloud. The bones were underneath the inside of van where Henry sat. He knew it was lumpy but it was an old car. They get lumps alot if worn out, right? Henry ignored the bones until he saw the ring on its finger. It was a wedding ring. Maybe...Griff killed someone and stuffed their bones in the van. Yeah, that could be it. That had to be it! Shirley probably wanted it to be destroyed because Griff killed someone. A married person.

She was a nervous wreck because of the stupid car, he'll just do his sis a favor, that's all he's doin', his sis a favor. He lit the match and threw it onto the van and it was in flames! Oh, what a show! Henry gave a sigh and proceeded to walk the twelve long miles back. While walking he called Griff telling him to pick him up. Griff hung up the phone and proceeded to leave. "Y'all better not let that kid out of room you hear me?" he told the crew. The crew shrugged.

"He ain't no harm." said Florene. "We got this."

"The brat's locked up in the back room, remember?" said Keith in a tone that somewhat teased Griff. The rude man flipped Keith off and left the cabin. Shirley looked at the door Cain was locked in and made a face. _Why do I feel guilty? _she asked herself, _He's just a kid. What can possibly go wrong?_ Sharron poured herself another drink and she also made a face. "What the hell's gotten into you?" she asked. Shirley looked at the almost drunk woman and shook her head. "Nothing." she answered. "I'm gonna check up on the kid, all right?" Florene looked at the two women talking and shook her head as well. When Shirley went to check the boy, she saw that he was sitting on the bed looking at the door, with a sketchpad he found in the room.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Cain nodded. Shirley thought about what she was going to say next but nothing came to her until it hit her. "Y'know we're not gonna hurt you right? We only want the money."

Cain nodded once again. Shirley left with a small smile across her face as she closed and locked the door twice. Little did she know, she was in the picture he was drawing, at the same angle, with the the same arm and everything. It was well detailed. Meanwhile, back at Henry's location, the young man paced about with his hands in pocket. "Where is he?" he said aloud angrily. "He was suppose to be-" a car instantly pulled up in front of Henry. "Hey dude," Griff snickered.

Henry frowned. "Where the hell were you?!" he yelled "I've been waiting for you for hours!!!"

"Shut up and get in." said Griff. "We're headin' out."

"No," Henry said, "we're heading back to the cabin. We can't let anyone know that we took that boy!"  
Griff roled his eyes and turned the car around. As the car went back to the cabin, Henry saw a grin across the sick man's face and shivered a bit. "Y'know you helped me alot back there," Griff then said, "burning the van back there. You really helped me out. Thanks dude."  
"I didn't help you!" Henry snarled, "I helped my sister. And you know it."

"Whatever," said Griff. Once they returned to the cabin, they saw Cain by the window. His face emotionless, but his eyes full of some source of unexplained evil. "Those fucking assholes!" yelled Griff as he got out of the car and slammed it shut, Henry following behind. The cabin door flung opened and the man roared out for some answers.  
"WHICH ONE OF YOU WISEASSES LET THAT BRAT OUT HIS ROOM?!?!?!"

"No one," Shirley answered, "he's still in the room."

"LIAR!" shouted Griff. "We saw him by the window! One of yous let 'im out!"

"Chill man," Keith murmured. "If you don't believe us see for yourself."  
Griff looked at the back room door and the crew. "No way," he said. "I already did my job."  
Henry made a face and looked at the back room as well and arched an eyebrow. He then investigated himself. Opening the door, he saw Cain scribble in his sketchpad and look up. "Hey Cain..." the man said. "Did-did you leave your room?"

Cain shook his head no and continued to scribble in the book. Henry gave a slight nod and closed the door, locking it twice.  
The little boy looked at the door and made a face. On the previous page of the book, a drawn picture of Henry stood at the door with curiousity all over his face.


	4. Have Fun

Chapter Four- Have Fun

Meanwhile, at the Steiner's residents, Mrs. Steiner paced back and forth biting her fingernails, crying every thirty minutes. "Oh my baby..." she said, "he must be scared. All alone with those monsters...who knows what they're doing to him..."  
For hours, she suffered waiting, not knowing what to do but weep and pray for his safe return. She began to think that there was nothing she could do. With the threat of a ransom letter, she didn't know whether there were spies nearby, watching her every move...  
"Mother," Lilia said as she placed her puppy down. "Everything will be okay. I'm pretty sure that they only want the money. Why would they hurt him?" Mrs. Steiner looked at her daughter for a moment and cried even more.

"Because he is a child!" she cried out. "They know he's an easy target." Rion came down the stairs carefully holding onto the railing while listening to the conversation. "Mother," Lilia began, "children may be easy targets, but they still are capable of handling theirselves most of the time."  
"I'm a terrible mother!" Mrs. Steiner buried her face in her hands. "I should've known that Ms. Linberg was a fake! I've been to their school dozens of times and I-I...I'm a terrible mother!!! I've been so careless!"  
"Mama don't cry," Rion approached her and gave her a hug. "Cain'll be okay, right Lilia?" Lilia gave a nod. "Of course he will," she smiled.

After several minutes of tears and comfort, their mother seemed to have calm down a bit. She stood up and fixed herself. "I have to find them..." she finally said. "A snow storm will be coming in a matter of days, I won't let them-" Lilia stood up with a concerned look. "Will you give them the money?" she asked. Mrs. Steiner nodded.  
"I have to," was her response. "If I don't, what makes you think they won't kill him?"  
"You have two months to figure out what you're going to do." Lilia informed her.

"Yes, but I only have days to find them," replied her mother. "The roads will be covered with inches of snow, the cars will be stuck until who knows when and-"  
"Why don't you report it to the police?" Rion suggested.  
"Don't be silly," said his sister, "that'll make matters worse. What if they find out about the police?"  
"What if they don't?" pouted the eight year old.

Mrs. Steiner made a face and cried out; "I don't care even if it will be storming and the cars will get stuck, I'll walk if I have to!" She stormed over to the door while adding; "I also don't care if they do or don't know! I'll force them to give my baby back!" Lilia stood in front of the door and gently pushed her mother to a seat. "Don't be so careless Mother," she said. "Rion was right and I was wrong. We should call the police and make sure it doesn't get into the papers. If the kidnappers find out, they'll kill him. We have to be careful, real careful."  
Rion walked over to the phone and looked at it quietly. It started to ring and he answered it. "Hello?" his response was.  
"Hey Rion," said a familiar voice. It was his father, Mr. Steiner. "How's my little man?"

"Good," answered Rion.  
"Where's Lilia?" Mr. Steiner asked.  
"She's okay."  
"Your mother?"  
"She's okay."  
"Cain?"  
"He's sick. He ate too much yesterday."  
"Oh, I see. Well, I have to go now. I'll try calling you later on this week, okay?"  
"Okay."  
"Behave."  
"I will. Bye, Daddy."  
"Goodbye, Rion."

Once the conversation was over, Mrs. Steiner, now calm one again, proceeded to leave the house. "Where are you going, Mama?" he asked.  
"To the police station," was her answer. "I'm not going to report this through the phone. I'll be back."  
Lilia watched as her mother got into the car and drove off. Her puppy, who she named Gallery, barked repeatedly at her for it wanted to be held. She picked Gallery up and sat on the window ledge a bit. "This is getting boring..." she replied, "two months is too long..."  
"Maybe they're gonna start thinking that too and switch it." Rion said.  
"They won't do it that easily," Lilia informed him. She noticed his adorable smile and his rocking back and forth.

He handed her a filed envelope that he found in the attic. "What's this?" she asked.  
"Remember that guy you found disgusting?" his response was.  
"Yes I do," Lilia answered, placing Gallery onto the floor.  
"Mama prosecuted him years ago. He had a face change. Looky."

Lilia read through the file, sometimes going back a previous page at points, until her face turned red. "That disgusting excuse for a human being!" she snapped "That scoundrel! That monster! T-That-oooooooooohhhh!!!! THAT BEAST!!! Where did you find this?!"  
"In the attic," Rion answered. "By accident."  
Lilia looked at the file once more and turned red again. This time, Lilia's porcelain doll,that was on a shelf, began to crack and it suddenly broke into pieces! "Lilia! Calm down," said Rion, "you'll break something else."  
Once calm and no longer red, Lilia sat down on a couch and gave a sigh. The last time she had ever been that angry was ten years ago. Of course, someone had given her the motive to do so. But, this type of thing really pissed her off to the max

"He doesn't deserve to live..." she finally said. "None of them..." With those words she quietly looked out the window, staring off into space.

* * *

At the cabin, Cain played with several toy cars and figures he found in a box by the closet. It was quiet. The afternoon quickly shifted to evening, the adults were noisy for some time and the sound of the radio was pretty loud. It wasn't as if anyone could hear them.  
_They've had their fun, _he heard his sister say, _it's time you had yours. That man, Griff, is a monster...monsters like him do not deserve to live. Make him suffer. Make them all suffer...make them regret everything they've ever done! _then she added in a calm and innocent tone, _Oh! and have fun._

Cain stopped playing with the toys,looked up at the door, listened to the music and his kidnappers once more, and gave an evil grin.  
Fun...is something he will definently have.


	5. Doubt

Chapter Five- Doubt

By the next day, it was clear to the group that a snow storm was coming.  
"We need more supplies," Shirley said. "I don't think our stuff can last through the winter." Florene looked through all of the cabinets in the cabin and shook her head. "We're good," she said. "You just want to go out before the snow storm traps us in here with the brat."  
"Not a bad idea," replied Henry. "C'mon Shirley."  
"Wait a minute!" Sharron said, "I'm coming too."  
"So am I!" Florene added.  
"Move aside," Griff said, "Keith watch the brat and make sure he doesn't go anywhere, got it?"

"Got it," Keith scoffed a bit. As the car drove off, Keith quietly sat down and watched the news, waiting to see if the kidnapping had been reported.  
It hadn't. It was all the same. Damn thing must've broken. It was an old t.v. anyway, why would there be anything new on? Might as well put on some old cartoons, those are never boring. As he flipped through channels, the back room door slowly unlocked and out walked a wolf. It was big and it was hungry.  
Keith continued to flip through channels until he saw some interesting cartoons and sat back.  
He suddenly heard a growling noise and turned to see the hungry creature and its friends.

* * *

In town, the five split up for a moment, Shirley went with Henry, Florene went with Sharron, and Griff went alone. Out of all the kidnappers in the group, Griff was the least liked. Florene and Sharron went shopping for clothes, while Henry and Shirley went to get something to eat.  
Griff went to a bar.

******

At a store, where Florene and Sharron were, the girls tried on alot of clothes.  
From pants to skirts to shirts to blouses to dresses and shoes, these girls were hooked.  
"Do you think we can afford all of these?" Sharron asked as she looked for more things to try on.  
"Not right now," Florene answered. "But when the money that lady will give us for her son arrives, we'll be the Queens of Shopping!"  
"You said it!" Sharron laughed. The young women continued to joke around and about, until Florene stopped when she saw through the corner of her eye a little boy with this emotionless look upon his face standing by a rack of clothes behind them.

She turned all the way around and saw that no one was there.  
"You okay, Florene?" asked Sharron.  
"Yeah," was all she could say. "I guess so."

******

Griff sat in a bar, relaxed and all. It's been weeks since he had a drink...or drinks.  
"Hey man," said the bartendar. "You okay?"  
"I'm fine," answered Griff, "gimme another drink will ya?"  
"Sure thing."

As he waited he turned his head to the window and saw the exact same boy looking at him.  
_What the hell...?_ he thought and blinked a couple times until the image of the boy was gone.  
Was it Cain?  
No way...he was miles away...  
Could it be his twin?...no...the Steiner Family was nowhere near the town they were in.  
_I'm imagining things...that's all..._

******

Meanwhile at a diner, where Henry and Shirley were along with eight other people, ate with loud conversations here and there. Henry looked at his sister and made a face.  
"Sis," he began, "why did you change your last name?"  
"What does it matter to you?" she asked. "I had the right to do so."  
"I thought you liked Davidson as your last name."  
"I did as a child, but I'm a grown-up I can do whatever I want."  
"Even go out with Griff."

Shirley sighed. "Not this again," she said.  
"Yes this again," Henry replied. "No one likes him, I don't like him, Florene doesn't like him, Sharron doesn't like him, Keith doesn't like him, **you** don't even like him and you're still with him!"  
"Would you keep it down?" Shirley whispered, fearing everyone might hear.  
"When was the last time he kissed you and told you he loved you?" Henry asked, "When was the last time he asked you out for dinner? Or take you to the movies? Or at least drive you you home?! When was it, sis? Tell me."

Shirley turned her head, ignoring him for a moment.  
"Why the hell are you still dating him, if he's not even doing the shit a normal boyfriend would do?!" he wanted to know.  
"Why are you asking me all these questions?!" Shirley demanded. "Are you that concerned about me?"  
"You're my sister!" Henry informed her, "Of course I'm concerned! You've had over twenty boyfriends growing up in your life and all of them treated you bad. But the asshole you're with now, who is probably getting drunk, is treating you like an animal. A wild animal. Leaving you out in the streets and having you walk home by yourself from his house full people doing drugs and could possibly rape you!  
Have you ever thought about that while you sleep at night?"

Henry noticed that Shirley was on the verge of crying and tried to comfort her. "I'm sorry about making you think about things between you two," he said, "but don't you think you being hurt so many times starts to bother your family? We only wanted what was best for you, but whatelse is there we can do?"  
"If you really must know," Shirley said, "I don't give a shit about Griff. I only want his money! And when we get the money from the boy's mother, I'll be gone forever!" With those words she proceeded to leave.  
Henry went after her, paying and leaving the diner all at once.

"Is that it?" he asked.  
"Is what it?"  
"What you said. You only want his money?"  
"Yes. That's all. I don't love him. He was a rich drunk when I became his lover, so why not dry him and his money up at the same time?"  
Henry looked down at the ground for a moment and sighed. "You're just like me..." he said, "I'm just as money hungry as you are. Stealing, conning, fraud, hell you name it. But I guess...I learned something about greed."  
"And that is?"  
"It can make someone a real bitch."

After that comment, Henry's phone rang. "Hello?" he answered. There was something wrong at the other end of the line by the way Henry was talking.  
"What?" he would say. "Speak up I can't hear you. You're not making any sense. What are you saying?!"  
_"Wolves GOTDAMNIT! There are fucking wolves in here!" _Keith shouted on the other end. _"There's fucking wolves in here! Hurry and get the fuck over here!"_

Henry grabbed Shirley and got into the car, while searching for the others. "Where are you now Keith?" he asked.  
_"I'm everywhere!!!" _answered the man in fear. _"They're biting everything! Shit! Shit! They're coming for me! Fuck!"  
_"Keith?" Henry said. "Keith?! Damn it!"

After finding the Florene, Sharron, and the almost drunk Griff, Henry drove as fast as he could to the cabin. When they arrived, everything looked normal. The windows weren't smashed or anything. The whole thing looked fine.  
But when they got inside, it looked like all hell had broken loose. "What the fuck happened here?" Florene asked looking around. The tables were scratched, the furniture was torn along with the rug. To make matters worse, their supplies were all over the place! Everything they bought for the when the storm would approach was ruined or spilled throughout the the whole cabin.  
There was only one problem...there weren't any wolves inside the cabin. In fact, there wasn't anything there to prove that a pack of wolves had ever been inside the house. And there wasn't any sign of Keith either.

"Where the FUCK is Keith?!?!?!" Griff demanded.

He wasn't anywhere to be found. Annoyed, Griff went to the back of the cabin to the back room.  
"Oh hell no," Henry said as he followed the half drunk man. "Where's Keith you little shit?" he heard Griff say to Cain.  
But the boy said nothing. He was sitting on the bed, staring at Griff quietly.  
"Not answering?" Griff said to the boy. "Imma ask you one more time, you better answer. Where's Keith?"

Still no answer.  
"That's it, shithead!" Griff then roared as he picked up the child and slammed him against the wall.  
"Yo Griff let him go!" yelled Henry as he rushed into the room and tried to pry Griff off Cain.  
"This little bastard over here thinks he's somthin' special!" Griff shouted. "Little does he know that I will personally-"

Just then steam came from Griff's hands and he instantly dropped the boy while screaming in pain. "Ow! Shit! Fuck! Motherfucker!" he shouted.  
"What happened?" asked Henry, now concerned.  
"Whaddya mean what happened?!" Griff growled. "The little fucker burned me, that's what happened! He fucking burned me!"  
"He didn't do that."  
"You callin' me a liar?!"

"Hey!" Florene called "We found Keith! He's fine, a little shook up though."  
The two men left the room, Henry locking it twice, and into the living room, where they saw Keith sitting in a chair. "Keith," Sharron said, "what happened to you?"  
"Didn't Henry tell ya?" Keith asked "Them wolves came in and destroyed shit. I saw them."  
"How did they get in?" asked Shirley.  
"I don't know!!!" Keith snapped. "They came, ate, destroyed, and left! I'm lucky they didn't wannna eat me!"  
"Where were you hiding when we got here?" Florene asked.  
"Under the sink where you found me." Keith answered.

"Are you sure you didn't wreck this place on purpose?" Griff wanted to know. "Cuz we ain't see no wolves outside or in."  
"Did you not hear me?!" Keith shouted. "They left!"  
"How?" Florene wanted to know. "When we got here the doors were sealed shut only a key can get the doors opened."

"The question isn't how they left," Henry said, "the question is how they got in. Cain couldn't have done it because the door was locked, the windows upstairs in the attic and in the basement are boarded up and there aren't any secret entries in this cabin."

Everyone looked at Keith.  
"What?" he asked. "You're sayin' I did it?"  
"You've gotta be the one who did do it." Sharron said.  
"Bullshit!" shouted Keith, "Why the hell would I let a pack of wolves in the fucking house and wreck everything?!"  
"That's what we wanna know." Florene said. "How did they get in?!"

"Y'know what," Keith angrily said. "Fuck you! Fuck you all!"  
Keith continued to swear about how he didn't do it and it wasn't fair for them to accuse him of such thing.  
But there was nothing that he could do to prove it wasn't him. There was so much doubt that the wolf story was even true.  
Cain could hear the arguement from the back it was ridiculous on how loud a person or people could actually be. The boy ignored them nonetheless and walked over to the window to see a pack of wolves in the forest looking up at the room he was in.  
They just stared at him as he stared at them. A grin formed on his face as he mouthed; "Good job..."


	6. Call Me Henry

Chapter Six- Call Me Henry

The night stood still as Griff continued to complain about his hands and Cain.  
"I'm telling you," he said, "that little bastard burned my hands."  
"Give it a rest Griff," Henry murmured as he tried to sleep. It was bad enough that he, Florene, and Shirley spent the whole afternoon cleaning the whole cabin while Griff and Keith argued as Sharron constantly tried to break them up. It was worse to try and figure out if Keith was telling the truth or not.  
The whole cabin was silent for the moment and no one said anything. Well...at least for the moment.

The sound of wolves were heard howling through the night, annoying Griff instantly.  
Sharron was sprawled out on a coach while Florene and Shirley shared an airbed. For some reason, all six of them were afraid of going into their rooms. Possibly because they were near Cain's room. Whatever the reason was, they didn't want to be alone in the back room with him.  
Morning was taking forever to come and it was driving Shirley crazy. "What's taking so long?!" she cried out, "I can't stand the darkness anymore! When will morning come?"  
"When you see the sun," answered the tired Henry. His sister rolled her eyes and plopped back down on the bed. She couldn't sleep at all.

She listened to everyone's slight snores and breathing but that was all she could do. Everytime she closed her eyes, she dreamt of seeing herself being eaten by a pack of wolves. Gotdamn Keith! It's his fault she's having those dreams. More like nightmares, it was really pissing her off.

******

Morning finally came and Shirley was the first one up. Still tired like everyone else, she got up to check on Cain.  
Opening his door, she saw him quietly asleep. This was the first time she ever saw him sleeping, Florene or Sharron would be the ones to take up that duty.  
As she walked over to his bedside, she saw the sketchpad he is always seen occupied with on the floor. She picked it up and placed it on the table near the lamp then took a quick look at the boy.  
Shirley walked to him and knelt down beside him to get a closer look. "My God," she said, "he isn't so scary when he's asleep...he's like every normal child I've seen..." Her fingers began to twitch a bit. She began to reach for a small clump of his hair and felt a bit foolish. Yet, she couldn't help herself and began to reach for his hair again.

"What are you doing in here?" demanded a harsh toned man. Griff of course. Shirley stood up and gave a sigh. "You scared me..." she said.  
"What are you doing in here?" he repeated.  
"Just looking at him," Shirley answered. "Got a problem with that?" Griff twitched a bit as he walked into the room. "Get your ass out of this room," he told her. "Now."

Shirley looked at Cain then Griff. "Oh don't be a bully," she said, "I know what I'm doing. It's not like he's gonna bite you." Thinking she was taunting him, Griff gripped her by her wrists and forced her out the room abit.  
"That little shit burned me you stupid bitch!" he pointed. "You weren't there! If you saw it you'd believe it! Taunt me like that again, and I'll make sure you'll regret it. You remember what I did to you before this plan went down don't you?" The now scared Shirley shook her head quietly. Griff threw her hand down and let her pass.  
Before he left, he turned to close the door only to see Cain standing at the foot of his bed, giving the man a look that annoyed him. "What are you lookin' at?" he asked then slammed the door shut and locked the boy in there by himself once more.

The rest of the group woke up minutes after one another and began looking around the cabin searching for supplies that weren't wrecked and destroyed. There was nothing. Anger filled each person in the cabin. They had to go back out and get more supplies. "Fuck no," said Keith "I'm-I'm not staying here by myself. I'm coming with you guys. What if those wolves come back?"  
"I'm going by myself," Henry informed the scared man. "That way, everyone can see and agree on what crazy shit goes down, sounds fair?"  
"Yeah..." Keith murmured "I guess so."

Henry got into the car and drove off leaving the group by theirselves with Cain in the back room.  
When he reached town, he got all the supplies needed to last through the storm and proceeded to checkout. "Preparing for the snow storm, eh?" asked the cashier.  
"Yeah," Henry answered.  
"I heard this storm is going to be longer than last year's," informed the cashier. "But that's only what I heard."  
"When's the storm coming?"  
"From what I saw on the news...I'd say next Wednesday."

Henry was blank in the face for a moment. "Next Wednesday?" he repeated.  
"Yeeup," was the cashier's response.  
"Thanks."  
"No problem. That's 258.95 sir."  
"I'll use credit."  
"Sure thing."  
While waiting, he saw what appeared to be a young girl wearing a pink dress, white socks, and Mary-Jane shoes. Her hair color was a brownish red type. Henry made a face as he watched the girl take a porcelain doll off of the shelf and look examine it for a moment before claiming it to be rightfully hers.  
"Signature here and you're done." said the cashier.  
Henry did so and took his things while he continued looking at the girl. He slowly walked by her and took a small peek at her face.

In an instant, the girl let out this low but scary growl making Henry become a little bit scared. Was she growling at him? Or was she doing it for attention?  
Henry approached her a bit and she looked at him. Her eyes glown red with hatred and she, out of the blue, barked at him causing him to gasp in fear and drop to the floor. The cashier and others looked at him, but only the cashier was the one to help him up. "Are you alright, sir?" he asked as the man looked around confused and in sweat.  
"She barked at me..." Henry said.  
"I beg your pardon?" the cashier arched an eybrow.  
"The girl that standing here with one of those dolls on the shelf," Henry explained "she barked at me..."

"Are you referring to the doll in your hand?" asked the cashier "I didn't see any girl when I came over and I certainly didn't hear a barking noise either. My apologies, sir."  
"No need to apologize," Henry said, "I'm just not myself right now. And could you _please_ stop calling me sir? It makes me sound old. Call me Henry."  
"Okay." answered the cashier, "See you later, Henry."  
Henry, after putting everything in the trunk, prepared for the drive back to the cabin, yet for some unexplained reason, he had this urge to stay in town just a bit longer.


	7. Griff's Change of Plans

Chapter Seven- Griff's Change of Plans

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, the group sat quietly in the living room.  
Most of them were looking at Keith, who was looking at the back room and biting his nails. He looked at the four and back at the room. But the staring and the silence bothered him so much that he couldn't help but shout; "Why are you all looking at me?!"  
The group said nothing.  
"Well?!" asked Keith impatiently. "What's up with the staring?!"

"We're worried about you," Florene said. "You've been acting all weird on us since yesterday. Ever since you told that-"  
"It's not a story!" Keith interrupted, "It's the truth! You can believe all the other shit you want, but I know what I saw, damnit!"  
Griff scoffed. "Oh bullshit, Keith," he said. "There's no way in hell that a pack of wolves got in here and everything front in back of the cabin is boarded up and locked. The only way anyone or anything can get in is through the front door, which is locked shut and needs to be opened with a key. A key that's in **_your _**possession."  
Keith gave Griff a look.  
"Now unless that brat had anything to do with this," Griff continued, "you're making it up. (Scoffs) What am I sayin'? Keith, you're full of shit. He couldn't have possibly unlocked the back door, snagged the key from you, let the wolves in to destroy things, led them out, placed the key back in your pocket and locked himself back in the room before our arrival. That's completely a bullshit of a story!"

"Fuck you cocksucker!" shouted Keith as he tackled Griff to the ground and began to pound on his face repeatedly.  
Griff threw Keith off him and started kicking him in his stomach, picked him up and punched him to the ground to repeat the same tactic. Keith rolled out of the way before Griff stamped on him, jumped out of the way and kicked Griff to the ground. "Stop it! Both of you!" Shirley cried.  
"He started it!" Keith pointed. "Saying that I'm a liar when the fucker's telling us that an eight year old burned his hands!"  
All of a sudden, Griff instantly stood up and pulled a gun out on Keith. "Whoa," Keith quickly said putting up his hands, "didn't see that coming."  
"What the fuck Griff!" shouted Florene. "I told ten gotdamn fucking times, no weapons in this mission!"

"Shut up." said Griff, "Now listen, and listen good. There's going to be a change of plans."  
"Oh now you wanna be a big man cuz you got a gun," Keith sarcastically responded. "The plan stays the same, we wait until it hit Saturday and we call the lady's house to see what-is that loaded?"  
Griff shot off the gun into the ceiling, the girls screamed while Keith took a seat, all ears and no mouth. "What's the new plan?" he asked. Griff looked at Florene and then the other three. "Saturday is too fucking long to wait to call," he began, "and two months is even longer. We're gonna give her a month instead. We'll give her an ultimatum. If she doesn't give us the money before the deadline, we'll send her son to her in pieces!"  
"That is so inhuman!" Shirley yelled.  
"Shut up!" Griff yelled back.  
"No!" she snapped "We are not going to cut a child up and send him to his mother if she doesn't reach the deadline!"

Griff walked over to Shirley and slapped her across her face with the gun hard enough for her to hit the ground. Sharron rushed over to Shirley and comfort her as she cried. "If she doesn't reach the deadline," he repeated, "we will send her her son in pieces. Do you understand?!"  
They all nodded.  
The man then found a rope underneath the cabinet and proceeded to head to the back room. "Where's he going with that?" Florene asked.

The back room door swung open as the sleeping boy sat up rubbing his right eye. He looked confused at first but then felt this object wrap around his neck and get tighter. He tried to pull the rope off his neck (a reflex everyone does to prevent being strangled) but to no avail. Griff just tightened the rope even tighter.

***

"Rion what's wrong?!" cried Mrs. Steiner as she watched her son hold choke.  
Lilia only watched for she couldn't do anything. "My god," she said to herself, "someone's doing something to Cain. And whatever he's going through...Rion can feel it."  
"What's happening to my baby?!" her mother continued to cry out.  
After several minutes, Rion passed out.

***

Henry arrived at the cabin an hour after the incident occured and saw the group sitting quietly in the living room.  
"What happened?" he wanted to know sensing some disturbance in the atmosphere.  
"Griff killed him..." Keith said.  
Griff was seated by Shirley with a grin across his face. Henry glowered at him and walked in the back room, then walked back into the living room. "What did you do to him?" he asked the sick man. "Don't worry," Griff chuckled, "he still has a pulse."

"You weren't suppose to do that!" he informed Griff.  
"Change of plans," he told Henry. "Now, you all are going to follow it or you die...understand?"


	8. Shirley's Acceptance

Chapter Eight- Shirley's Acceptance

Hours later, Cain woke up cuffed to one of the bedpost's bar.  
He lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, listening to the television and the small conversations in the living room. He then heard footsteps approaching his room and waited to see who it was. In came Shirley, with concern in her eyes. She walked over to him and sat by his side. "Cain," she said, "are you alright?"  
The boy gave a slight nod and turned his head away, revealing a mark on his neck. Shirley gasped and formed a fist. "Oooooh!" was her response, "I wish I knew what to do!" She then turned her head to Cain, who wasn't paying her any mind at first, and gave a sigh. "If you only knew..." she told him. "If you only knew the horror I'm going through with this man...it just isn't fair..."

Cain gave a slight nudge.  
"You wouldn't understand," she slightly chuckled, "you're only a child." She stared at Cain once more and noticed his clothes were torn and messy. "We should get you some new clothes, before the storm hits." she then said. "For some reason...I feel as if the storm is coming way too early. It scares me." With that, she left the room.  
Henry, meanwhile was glaring at Griff, who was boredly smoking a cigarette. He had this urge to rush over to the man a have him eat the whole pack he owned. "I fucking hate you," Henry informed Griff.  
Griff then blurted out laughing and stated; "Who doesn't? I shouldn't be hated, I should be feared."

"Why?" Keith asked "Because you have a gun?"  
"A GUN?!" Henry repeated, completely oblivious of the whole incident that occured when he was away."When the fuck was a gun allowed in this kidnapping?!"  
"When he pulled out a gun." was Keith's response.  
Griff walked over to the sarcastic "liar" and got in his face. "Listen," he snarled, "I've hurt and killed many before I bought this thing. You think I'm a pathetic scum like you without this? You must be fucked up in the head or something. Even without this, why should I be scared of you when you should be scared of me?" He got out of Keith's face and sat back down quietly.  
Shirley came into the living and asked Henry for the keys. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Griff said "Where hell you think you're going?" She looked at Griff and rolled her eyes. "Out." was her answer.  
"Out where?"  
"None of your business."  
"Don't tempt me woman."

Shirley looked at the man and stormed out of the house.  
Henry watched as he saw his sister get into the car and drive off. Florene and Sharron just sat in the quiet living room in boredom. "Now I really wish we had that fucking van..." Sharron murmured.

* * *

Lilia heard Rion coming down the stairs groaning a little.  
He had his hand on his head and approached his sister. "Where's Mommy?" he asked.  
"She went to the store to get a few things," was her answer. "How's your neck?"

"It burns," Rion answered, "it felt like a rope was burning me. What happened?"  
"Nothing." Lilia said. "Let me see your neck."  
Rion walked over to his sister and hopped on her lap then tilted his head abit. A rope mark was there. This angered Lilia alot than Griff's file. "Mother will be going to the police station when she comes back, are you fit to come with us?"  
The boy nodded.

* * *

Shirley arrived at the cabin with a bag in hand. "What's that?" Florene asked.  
"Clothes," she answered.  
"For who?" asked Griff.  
"For me," Shirley answered. Griff's eye twitched and shook his head. "Are you stupid?" he wanted to know. "You don't go shopping! People will know who you are!"  
"So what?"  
Griff stood up and approached Shirley, but Henry stood in front of his sister giving Griff an evil look. "One day, no one will be here to help you," he threatened Shirley. The frightened woman scoffed and went to her designated room to hang up her "clothes" and stayed in the room for the rest of the day.

***

Night came and so did a little snow.  
Shirley woke to see her closet door opened and her bedroom door opened as well. She looked outside her room and saw no one was around. _Maybe they went out..._ she thought as she walked over to the window, but, to her surprise, the vehicle was still there, parked in the same spot. _Where is everyone? _she then thought shaking a bit.  
It then hit her that Cain might be gone too and went into the back room.

She saw that he was fixing his choker that Shirley bought for him. He was wearing black shorts and a black shirt with black fingered gloves, along with black sneakers. He turned to look at Shirley and sat on the bed. "Where is everyone?" she asked.  
Cain shrugged. "Do you want them to be here?" he asked.  
She jumped abit. "You can talk?!"  
"As can everything and everyone," he answered. "Even those who can't speak have voices."  
"Nicely said..." was her response, "where am I?"  
"Dream World."  
"I'm in your dream?"  
"No, I'm in yours."  
Shirley looked at him in a weird way. "How is it that you are in my dream, but no one else?" she wanted to know.  
"You wanted me to be."

Turning away, Shirley crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Why are you here?" she asked. Cain doodled in his head abit, but didn't answer. "Perhaps you know what's going on in this place," she assumed. "Don't you?"  
Still no answer. "Cain!" she said as she approached the boy and took hold of his shoulders. "I need to know what the hell's going on around here! Do you know?!"  
"Perhaps I do." was his answer.  
"What is it?!" she begged. "Tell me!"  
He leaned in close to her ear and whispered; "You're going to die."

Loosening her grip, Shirley's eyes widened. "Wh-What?" she stammered, although she knew what he had said the first time.  
A slight giggle was heard from the boy. "Why did you laugh?" she asked.  
Cain's grin went away and turned to the door. "You don't even know how you're going to die," he said "but I can tell you." Shirley looked at the door as well and then Cain. "I don't wanna know," she said.  
"Liar."  
"Huh?"  
"You're curious and you want to know."  
The young woman stood up in fear and rushed out the bedroom door. She nearly made to the front door when she heard Cain shout; "BANG!" and fell to the floor. There was this sharp pain she never felt before, it was worse than Griff's beatings. She let out a scream but couldn't get up. It felt like a bullet was moving all around and about inside her, yet there was nothing she could do about it. Suddenly, she was turned over onto her back and slapped across the face.  
She sat up and placed her hand on her cheek. "What the fuck was that?!" she cried out.  
"Your death."  
"And the slap across the face?"  
"That was me."

Shirley stood up and looked around. "Why'd ya do that?" was her next question as she sat down on the couch.  
"The more you deny it, the more painful it gets."  
"Why did you slap me?"  
"To wake you up. It's no fun watching you flop on the floor like a dying fish."  
Cain started to play with Shirley's hair and waited for the nest question. "Was I shot?" she then asked.  
"Yes." he answered. "Of course you know who shot you, correct?" She shook her head. "He wouldn't kill me," she said. Yanking her head back harshly, the boy asked; "And why wouldn't he?"

"Even though he's abusive and cruel and a complete ass, deep down inside, I know he loves me." Shirley answered.  
"He beats you everyday."  
"Because I tempt him."  
"He makes sure you never leave him."  
"Because he loves me and knows he's nothing without me."  
"Then what's your excuse about the baby?"  
Cain let go of Shirley's hair and let her look at him with disbelief. "There isn't any baby..." she quickly said unsure. Cain walked around the couch, sat next to her, and placed his head on her stomach. "Yes there was," he assured her "years ago. Before I was born." he looked at Shirley and gave a warm smile. "When you told him you were pregnant, what did he do?"  
She didn't answer. "What did he do Shirley?" asked the little boy.  
"He..." she began to answer, "he threw me down the stairs and I lost it."  
"Her." Cain corrected, "You lost her. It was a girl."

Shirley broke into tears and began to question Cain about her death for a half an hour until she was pissed and found it unfair.  
"Why do I have to die for that fucker?!" she pushed Cain off her and walked over to the window.  
"For being greedy and in denial."  
Looking at Cain, she felt a little uneasy. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Cain, sitting on the couch kicking his feet back and forth, showed some signs of annoyance, but in a calm tone, he explained. "You've been with him for ten years," he began, "you take and take and take without ever asking him where he got the money from. He pushed you, punched you, insulted you, he even humiliated you, and you still took money from him. When he picked you up, and threw you down those stairs what were you thinking?"  
Shirley's lips started trembling and her eyes started tearing. "For four months you hid her from him," he continued "for four months you protected her from that monster, and you thought that he'd accept her when he was "fine", but he wasn't and he didn't and in the end, you brought her to her untimely demise. Yet, you still were this money-hungry person after her death. Why didn't you run? When he went to "work" you could have ran with her, when he wasn't around the house and it was safe to leave, you should've ran."

The young woman turned to see the boy start to approach her. "Don't come near me," she demanded. Cain stopped in his tracks and looked at the clock. "You had enough time to run and get away," he said "you could've saved her. But what did you do? You kept taking the money never thinking twice about him or your little girl when she was alive."  
Shirley slid sown and cried uncontrollably. "My God...Oh my God..." she cried, "I-I let him k-kill my baby...my little girl...oh my God..." she looked up to see Cain looking down at her.  
"And you thought I wouldn't understand." he said. "I know why you're so nice to me and why you try to protect me. It's because you couldn't protect your own and you feel guilty. Are you willing to accept what you've done in the past and what is to happen to you in the future?"  
He knelt down in front of her and waited for an answer. Shirley took Cain in her arms and cried a little more. After awhile, she ran out of tears and sniffled abit. "Yes..." she finally answered. "I accept."  
A warm smile came across her face as she asked her final question, no longer guilty and afraid of death. "Why did you tell me all of this?"  
For a moment, Cain said nothing only lay his head on her lap and remained quiet, but he soon answered. "Because I like you."

***

Shirley woke up in the middle of the night and stretched a bit.  
_All of that was only a dream?_ she thought, _It felt so real...and painful..._  
She walked out of her room and into the back room where she saw Cain sleeping. She noticed that the handcuffs were broken and that the clothes he had worn in her dream, was on his skin. It was an odd sight, but what could she do? As she left the room and proceeded to close the door, she heard this small giggling.  
It made her chill a little, yet she smiled and closed the door, locking it twice.


	9. A Scary Child?

Chapter Nine- A Scary Child...?

Mrs. Steiner and her children arrived to the police station hours later. Lilia was the first to get out of the car, then Rion followed along with their mother. "Lilia," she said, "you were here before ten years ago, correct?"  
"Yes mother," answered the girl as she examined the place. "It's gotten bigger. Why is that?" Mrs. Steiner shrugged while she picked Rion up and proceeded to walk into the station. Lilia looked at the building with an uneasy feeling, sighed, then walked in. When the three were in, Rion saw a woman talking to one detective in an angry matter.

"Look, I don't have anything else to tell you!" she yelled, "My car was stolen and no one's doing shit about it!"  
"Ma'am please," said the detective, "we're doing the best we can in finding your car, but we're also dealing with something far more important than finding a stolen vehicle."  
"And that is?!" the woman demanded.  
"I'm sorry ma'am," he said, "but I can't discuss that with you."  
"It may have something to do with my car!"  
"And if it does, we'll let you know."  
The woman scoffed and gave a reasonable nod. "Just do your job." she ordered and proceeded to storm out. "Oh I will!" the detective called "Just promise me that you won't **_sleep_** on the job if you ever get a new car again!" People within the precent laughed a bit.

Rion watched as the woman stormed by and gave a small giggle.  
He knew what the detective meant. Mrs. Steiner placed the little boy on the floor and told him to wait by the desk Lilia was at while she looked for the Lead Detective, Detective Gregory. Upon finding him, he had bad news. "Sorry Mrs. Steiner," he said "still no leads yet. We're doing our best."  
The woman gave a hopeless sigh. "My poor baby..." she sniffled. "All alone and scared...I hope he's okay."

Meanwhile, the children sat at the desk boredly until Lilia decided to talk to the detective that had problems with the woman earlier. "Hello," she said.  
"Hi," said the detective, "what can I do for you Miss?"  
"I'm waiting for my mother," answered Lilia as she pointed to her mother.  
"So you're the sister of the kidnapped boy?" he said. "Detective Matthews is my name, if there's anything you need, you can tell me."  
Lilia smiled a bit. "I wanted to help you a little bit. I can tell that you're a bit of a rookie and your boss won't let you do much, so I wanted you to prove him wrong. Just a smidge."  
"You have clues?" asked Detective Matthews as he leaned in towards the girl. Lilia gave a small nod and whispered into his ear.  
Rion who was across the room started to play with some of the pencils and pens. When he found some paper he started to make a comic draft with stick figures and placed word bubbles above them while saying it in a low tone.

_"May I help you sir?"  
"Detective Matthews, I was wondering if anything strange had occured within the last forty-eight hours."  
"Nothing out of place Mr. Matthews sir."  
"Nothing at all?"  
"Not that I can recall."  
"Okay. Thank you for your time."  
"All right...WAIT! I remember something!"  
"Go on, I'm listening."  
"Two days ago I had a customer. He and I had a brief conversation with one another."  
"About?"  
"Umm...the weather I believe. I told him that the snow storm would be longer than last year's."  
"Is that all?"  
"Well...no...I don't mean to insult, but I think he was a little insane in the brain."  
"Why is that?"  
"After purchasing his things, he fell to the floor and said that a girl barked at him."  
"A girl?"  
"Yes, he said that she barked at him right over where the dolls are (points)."  
"By any chance, did he tell you his name?"  
"Yep. He said that his name was Henry. He wanted me to call him that because he said I made him feel old when I call him sir."  
"Thank you so much for your help."  
"He seemed like a pretty good fella...has he done something wrong?"  
"You have no idea..."_

Rion looked at Lilia as she continued to talk to Detective Matthews.  
"I'll make sure I talk to this man first thing in the morning." he told the girl "You and your family should go home and rest. It's very late."  
"Oh I can tell. Thank you." Lilia giggled and approached her little brother. Rion handed her the papers and looked at the lead detective a moment. "I don't like him..." he said.  
"Good draft." was Lilia's response. "Even though he cheated his way to somewhat the top, doesn't do his job as well as others, steals their credit, and wants to do the nasty with our mother, don't hate him." She placed the pictures in a folder she carried with her and smiled an evil calculating smile while adding; "I'll take care of him."  
"What are you-"  
"Hush now, you'll see when Cain returns."  
"What if he doesn't?" pouted the boy.  
Lilia giggled and patted her brother on the head. Mrs. Steiner returned to the desk with Detective Gregory shortly after and told her children that it was time to go. Rion looked at the man, who was definitely not his mother's type and only wanted to "do the nasty" to her, in disgust. The man looked down at the boy and made an attempt to place his hand on the child's head. However, mysteriously, he felt electricity go through his whole body and fell to the floor.

Many people looked at him quietly, some laughing in the background while whispering that he fell again.  
Gregory looked at the boy and saw some electricwave within the boy's eyes for a split second before Lilia quickly turned Rion around. "My goodness!" cried Mrs. Steiner as she helped him up from the ground. "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah I'm fine." he answered laughing nervously while pointing to Rion and added; "Cute kid."  
"Thank you." was her response, giggling a bit as she knelt down to fix her son's coat. Once that was done she smiled and said; "Let's go home now." As they were leaving, Gregory stood quietly with a dirty smile across his face.

_Nice ass... _he thought, but instantly was shocked onto the ground again.  
This time, he saw the same electricwave wave not in Rion's eyes but somewhat around his body as the child stared at him one more time while walking out the door.  
Matthews approached Gregory and helped him up, laughing a little. "How do you do it?" he asked. "You fall to the ground in the weirdest ways, y'know?"  
"Shut up." Gregory snarled. "Or I'll have your badge."  
"I was only kidding." Matthews murmured.  
"Damn..." was Gregory's remark "that boy scares the hell out of me."  
"Oh you're saying he did it?" Matthews asked almost laughing.  
"Oh I know he did it. Whatever. Got any leads?"  
Matthew looked at Gregory for a moment and remembered what Lilia told him.

****

_"When he asks if you have any leads, say no."  
"Isn't that lying?"  
"Trust me on this. Just say no."_

_****_

"No." answered Matthews. "Nothing."  
"Are you sure?" Gregory asked. "As Lead Detective I can report you for hiding leads to this kidnapping."  
"As I've said before," Matthew smiled. "I got nothing."  
Gregory made a face and shook his head. "Damn...that kid's scary..." he reiterated.  
"You can't possibly be scared of a kid," Matthews chuckled a bit. "What could he have possibly done to you?"

Gregory looked at Matthew's and the front door. "You have no idea..." was all he could say. "You definitely have no idea..."


	10. The Biker and Lilia

Chapter Ten- The Biker and Lilia

True to his word, Detective Matthews drove into town Lilia had told him about the next day. It was a long drive to get there, but he wanted to find Cain more than anything, even if he had to pay for gas twice. When he got there, he remembered that she told him of a market near a bar that always had a red truck parked out front. "Red truck, red truck...where's the red truck?" he asked himself as he continued to drive throughout the town. There were at least twenty-five, in total, trucks in the that town, driving in and driving out. All of them were red. And all of them were parked near local bars and a market. Either one of them could have been the truck, however, as Detective Matthews recalled Lilia saying, of all of the trucks, only ONE had a slight dent on it. And that was the one he needed to find.  
He couldn't see it anywhere and he gave out a stressful sigh. "There's no slightly dented red truck out here!" he said aloud. "I've been driving for hours, looking for something that doesn't even-"  
A red truck drove past him and parked at least two to three yards from where Matthews' car had stopped. "Exist...?" he finished his sentence. He then started up his car again and drove past the truck slowly to inspect it. Just as Lilia said, there a slight dent on it. He noticed in front of the truck, there was a bar. The bar that, completely unbeknownst to Matthews, Griff had spent time in days ago. Horizontally across the street from the bar was the market. Matthews jaw dropped in disbelief. How did Lilia know about this place? It was as if she were there. Despite Lilia telling him that the market is the place he needed to go to first, Matthews believed that he could get some type of lead into the missing boy. Maybe someone from the bar knew one of the kidnappers.

Parking across from the truck, Matthews walked into the bar looking for the owner of the vehicle. "Excuse me," he said aloud. "I'm looking for the owner of the truck out front." Everyone in the bar stopped what they were doing and looked at the young man in dislike. "And what're you, a cop?" asked a drunk man. Matthews gave a slight nod and a warm smile that caused the drunken man to laugh. "Are you really a cop?" he blurted out. "Or are you trick or treatin'?" Matthews head tilted with confusion in his eyes. _That man is completely drunk..._he thought, _I better make my visit here brief._ "Listen up," he informed the customers, ignoring the drunk. "Not too long ago, a child was kidnapped on his birthday."  
"So what?" a bystander shouted. "Thousands of kids have been kidnapped on their birthdays."  
"His name is Cain," Matthews continued. "Cain Steiner. His mother has fallen into a deep state of depression and his siblings are worried sick for him. I was told by an informant that the owner of the vehicle outside knows something about this case. Now who owns that truck?"  
"Man, fuck off!" shouted another bystander. "We ain't tellin' you shit!"  
"Yeah!" a third shouted throwing a beer can at the detective. Matthews caught the can and his warm smile vanished and became serious. Drunk or not, he would not allow anyone to throw anything at him and in an instant reaction, he beamed the can back at the bystander, who fell out of his seat. Others stood up and surrounded the man. "You think you tough, boy?" demanded a biker.  
"In a way, yes." Matthews replied.  
"Oh we got us a comedian, boys!" the biker said.  
"Kick his ass!" shouted a bystander.  
"Fuck him up!"  
"Rip his dick off!"

"I'm not here to start a fight," Matthews' response was. "I just want to know who the owner of the truck is."  
"What if I own that truck, huh?" asked the biker. "You gonna arrest me or somethin'?"  
"If you are the owner," Matthews said. "I'd like to ask you a few questions."  
The biker spat in Matthews face and laughed harshly. "Get the fuck out of here."  
Matthews wiped his face and looked confused. But then, out of the blue, his head went down and his tone darkened. "It's **you** who needs to get the **_FUCK _**out of this bar." he insisted, pissing off the biker.  
"What the fuck you just say?" the biker wanted to know, approaching Matthews.  
"You heard me," Matthews said. The customers ooohed and somewhat admired Matthews' courage against someone older and much more dangerous than himself. "You're pathetic," Matthews continued. "You aren't a man, just a pathetic excuse of a human being who spends his time getting drunk and arrested."

The biker pulled out of knife, in which Matthews quickly confiscated it and threw it in the trash nearby. "You little toys don't scare me," Matthews smiled. It wasn't his naturally warm smile that he's known for. It was an evil smile, somewhat daring the biker to harm him in a way. "I suggest you tell me what you know about the child."  
"Or else what?" the biker laughed. "You're gonna kill someone?"  
A gun went off in the bar and the biker dropped dead.

"Yes." Matthews answered, putting his gun away. The others were now scared of the young man and proceeded to back away from him.  
"L-look man..." stammered a bystander, "we don't know who owns the truck, i'ight? It's always there when we're here."  
Matthews head tilted in a slow and sadistic way, his bangs covered an eye that seemed to be red to them. "Now, was that so hard to answer?" he asked. "Was it worth the life of a drunken future deadbeat scumbag bastard?"  
The bystanders were shooken and couldn't say a word. "Maybe it was worth it," Matthews answered. He proceeded to leave the bar, but stopped and looked over his shoulders to all who witnessed the murder. "No one will say tell about what happened here, understand?" he ordered. "If one word leaks out, I'll blow your heads off just like that fucker on the ground."  
"What will we tell the cops?" asked a bystander.  
"The way I see it," Matthews said. "There's not a single cop who gives a damn."  
"How will we explain this to the bartender?" asked another. "The biker was the one in charge while he went away."  
"That's for you all to figure out when he arrives. I must be on my way. And give the bartender a tip when he comes back." When Matthews came to, he was somewhat aware, but then again oblivious, to what had happened. He only smiled a warm smile and gave a bow. "Good day, gentlemen." he said and left.

Matthews walked into an ally and shook his head. "What just happened...?" he asked himself. "Did I kill someone?"  
His phone went off in his pocket and he answered it in a small cracked voice. "Hello?"  
"_I told you not to go into that bar, Mr. Matthews." _the voice of a young girl said. It was Lilia.  
"You!" he cried. "You did this, didn't you?"  
_"I'm sorry that killing is not your strong point, Mr. Matthews," _Lilia replied. _"Had I not killed him, he would have killed you."_  
"What did you do to me?"  
_"I saved you, of course."  
_"Please, Lilia, don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about."  
_"..."  
_"Lilia?"  
_"Okay, Mr Matthews, here's the deal; anytime you are in a difficult situation that I know you know you can't get out of, I will take charge and **I **will be the one to make the decisions. Understand?"  
_Matthews stood frozen in that one spot he was in, cringing at the fact that an innocent fourteen year old girl had that kind of power to take control over someone from miles away.  
_"Mr. Matthews?"_ Lilia said. _"Don't be afraid. I want to find my little brother just as much as you do, but I need your help."  
_"**_YOU_** need _**MY**_ help?" Matthews shouted. "You used me to kill a man! What else are you going to make me do?"  
_"I'm going to make you live." _Lilia answered. _"Mr. Matthews, please understand my intensions. I chose you because out of everyone in the police station, you were the only one I could trust. For that reason, I told you where you needed to go and who you needed to talk to."  
_"You're doing all this, but you have no clue where Cain's at?"  
_"Not one clue. So will you please help me?"  
_

Thinking quietly to himself, Matthews was in doubt of Lilia's story. He was more curious about her than he was of the kidnapping. What was it that she was trying to do? Could she be planning something? After a moment of internal conflict, he gave in to Lilia's pleas. "Fine," he said. "I will help you on one condition."  
_"And that is?"_  
"You have to tell me what you're planning."  
_"Oh, Mr. Matthews, I can't tell you that."  
_"Why not?"  
_"It will ruin the fun."  
_"At least tell me what you are. For some reason, I get the feeling that you aren't human..."  
_"I can assure you, Mr. Matthews, what I am is nothing compared to what Cain is going to be if he stays captive in that house with those people for a long period of time."  
_"House? What house?"  
_"I'm not sure, you have to find it."  
_"But where do I start...?"  
_"The market, Mr. Matthews. Start there."_  
"Okay, I will."  
_"Act normal, Mr. Matthews. Everything will be fine. After all, you didn't kill the biker, I did."_

Detective Matthews gave a deep sigh as the girl ended their conversation.  
"Oh man..." he said to himself. "What have you gotten yourself into...?"  
He knew now that his search for Cain was far more than that of a kidnapping. Whatever Lilia was planning, she now got him involved till the very end. However, while walking into the market, Matthews concluded that so long as Lilia trusted him and he trusted her, despite his doubt, he will live and Cain will be found.

* * *

**Sorry for being away for soooooo long.  
This chapter might be crappy because I'm trying to get back into it. Perhaps my next chapter will get me back into the spirit!**

**Till then, please review and toodles! ^_^**


	11. Shirley Takes a Stand

**_I am soooooooo sorry for what happened to this chapter. It's been missing for I dunno a few months. Here's what happened, a friend of mine insisted I edit the chapter because the ending sucked a little (it wasn't worthy she said). She wanted to edit it for me but I refused and chose to edit it myself because it was MY story not hers. A nd well Iaccidentally deleted the whole thing!  
Luckily I had a little back up and retyped the whole thing, with little change in it. Hopefully this is acceptable._**

**_Forgive me if this is not my best work, hope you enjoy ^.^ (Again)_**

* * *

Chapter Eleven- Shirley Takes a Stand

Walking into the market, Matthews examined his surroundings so oddly, it attracted the attention of a cashier. "Excuse me, sir?" he asked "Is there something I can help you with?"  
"Detective Matthews," answered the young man, showing his badge. "I'd like to ask you a few questions."  
"Ask away," insisted the cashier.  
"I was wondering if anything strange had occured within the last forty-eight hours." The cashier thought for a moment as he handed a woman her groceries and waved her a goodbye. "No," he answered. "Nothing out of place Mr. Matthews, sir."  
"Nothing at all?" Matthews arched an eyebrow.  
"Not that I can recall," the cashier said. "Sorry."  
Matthews gave a small sigh and shook his head, smiling. "No, no, it's okay." he said. "Thank you for your time."

The cashier nodded. "You're welcome, sir." Matthews had turned and began to walk towards the exit. He was a little disappointed. His conversation with Lilia was not only confusing, it was a dead end. _Go to the market, Mr. Matthews, _he thought, very aggravated at the fact he didn't get any information at all. He was a good ten feet from the exit when something sparked in the cashier's head. "Wait!" he called to the detective, leaving his post. "I remember something."  
"Go on," Matthews urged, as he took out a notepad and approached the young man. "I'm listening."  
"Two days ago," the cashier began, "I had a customer. He and I had a small conversation."  
"About what?"  
"The weather. I told him that the snow was going to be alot longer than last year's."  
"Is that all?" Matthews asked. The cashier started to rummage in his head for more information. "Well..." he said. "No. It isn't...I don't mean to insult, but I think he was insane in the brain."  
"Why is that?"

The cashier leaned in towards Matthews and whispered. "After he purchased his things, he fell to the floor and said that a girl barked at him."  
"A girl?" Matthews reiterated.  
"Yessir." the cashier answered. "He said that she barked at him right over where the dolls are." He pointed towards the shelf of dolls by the entrance of the store. Matthews looked at the dolls and back at the cashier. "By any chance," he said. "Did he tell you his name?" The cashier gave a slight nod. "He said his name was Henry." was his response. "He wanted me to call him that because it made him feel old when I called him sir."

A name! After so many days of investigating this case, Matthews has finally gotten a name. "Thank you so much for your help." he told the cashier as he walked away. The cashier tilted his head in confusion. He didn't understand what was going on. "He seem like a pretty good fella," he said to the detective, "...has he done something wrong?"  
In a small, seriously, but audible tone, Matthews answered; "You have no idea."

* * *

Like the cashier told Henry, it began to snow.  
Alot earlier than expected. "Hey," Keith said. "It's snowing. No one said anything about it snowing t'day."  
"The weather changes, Keith," Shirley explained. "Everyone knows that." Keith pouted as he sat back down in his chair. "Everyone but me..." was his response. "Sooooooooo...who's gonna go out to get the wood?"  
"Why do we need wood?" Florene asked. "We have radiators-"  
"That don't work," Griff cut her off as he placed his hands over one. That was strange. When they first arrived to the cabin, it was very warm and cozy, the radiators were working fine. Now they're broken. All that was left that could work was the fireplace...and blankets. "Since you mentioned the wood," Griff directed to Keith, "you should get it."

Keith shook his head. "No, I'm not!" he protested. "I'm sitting my ass right here."  
Griff chuckled. "I don't think you heard me correctly." he said. "Y'see, I wasn't asking, I was tellin'. Get your lazy ass up and get the wood!"  
"And who the fuck died and made you leader?" Keith demanded. Henry looked at the two men and shook his head. _Why now...? _he thought. "Look, you two," Henry said. "I'll get it. Just sit down and calm yourselves. Especially you Griff." Griff flipped Henry the middle finger. "Asshole," Henry murmured. "Shirley, can you come help me?"  
"She's staying here." Griff said.  
Shirley looked at Griff then her brother. "He can't carry it all by himself." she replied. Griff shrugged. "So what?" was his response. "Not my problem. But you're not going anywhere."  
Henry walked over to Shirley and pulled her out of her seat and walked out the door with her. Once they were away from the cabin, Henry let out his anger.  
"Why the hell are you afraid of him?" he asked.  
"He has a gun." Shirley stammered.  
"Fuck the gun!" Henry snarled. "He's nothing! All he does is boss people around. You can stand up to him."  
"How?" Shirley wanted to know.  
"Figure it out," Henry told her. "I can't help you with that. You're the one who needs to take a stand against him."

Shirley nodded but then remembered what her fate was if she were to stand up to Griff. "Henry," she said in a calm but quivering tone. "When I die, don't hurt Griff."  
"What?" he asked though he heard her the first time. "What are you talking about?"  
"Cain told me..." she said. "That Griff's going to kill me with that gun." Henry's eyes widened. "And you belive him?" he asked her. "You believe a child that has no idea what you've been through?"  
"No, it's not like that!" Shirley answered. "Cain...he knows me...I don't know how, but he knew everything I've done up until this point. He showed me my death."  
"Cain's just a little boy that has a wild imagination," Henry tried to reason. "H-he could be making it up."  
"What child his age knows what a miscarriage is?" Shirley asked. "How could he make up the loss of my unborn daughter? Hmm? Obviously he didn't. Henry, you have to understand that there is something different about this boy than any other child who has ever been kidnapped."  
"And what's that?" Henry yelled. "So he's calm and not afraid of us, big deal. Most kids his age shouldn't have anything to worry about."  
"But then there's Griff," Shirley pointed out. "Griff doesn't care how old you are! He'll kill anything and anyone, regardless if it were an infant or a child."  
"I'm not going to allow him to kill you Shirley," Henry said. "I didn't go along with this kidnapping for the money. I came to get you away from him."

Shirley smiled. "I guess I'm learning a bit too late how grateful I am to have had a brother like you." she laughed, "But still, Henry. I don't want you to hurt Griff, I don't want you to get emotional. I want you to be cold and heartless towards him."  
"Why?" Henry said. "What's the point of being cold and heartless to a monster that doesn't give a shit?"  
"Eventually he'll break down and will need your help." Shirley replied. "When that time comes, you won't have to deal with him anymore."  
"Even so..." Henry said. "I don't think I can do that. I'm not that kind of person. I can't leave a man to die regardless of what he's done."  
"That's why I'm telling you to lose that and become the way I want you to be towards him and him alone. Either way, you have to promise me that you won't doing anything to put yourself in danger."

Henry said nothing.  
"Do you promise?" Shirley asked.  
He still said nothing. How could he? Would he really make a promise to her to not harm Griff when he kills her?  
"Henry!" Shirley raised her voice, "Do you promise?" After a long thought and locking away his grief he will soon feel, Henry answered.  
"...Yes. I promise." He looked at the window where Cain's room was located and saw the little boy looking at Henry with a grin, which wasn't evil nor was it kind. It didn't make Henry any better, but it did make him upset. Shirley gave Henry a hug that was very kind and sweet. This was the first, and last, time she would do such a thing. She bid Henry a farewell and walked back into the cabin to accept her fate. When she got back into the cabin the cabin, she saw Griff glaring at her.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in here?" he demanded.  
"I came back." she said.  
"Doesn't matter, you still went out there anyway."  
"Don't be such a fucking asshole, Griff," Keith said. "She's back in the house, so drop it."  
"You need to mind your business." Griff said. "Women like her need to follow instructions."  
"Will you two stop it." Florene said. "Ever since that wolf incident, you two have done nothing but argue. You both need to calm down and give it a rest."  
"And you need to shut the fuck up, bitch." Griff said.  
"I'm not your bitch, Griff." said Florene "It was my idea to bring your broke ass along on this kidnapping in the first place."  
"And since I'm the one pulling the strings," Griff said. "It's my decision whether or not to kill you."  
"Oh yeah," taunted Florene, "I'm real scared of you because you got a gun. I doubt you ever used it on someone." A shot went into the air, silencing Florene. But she still remained firm. "I don't need to use a gun to kill someone, you slut," Griff grinned. "I can take a person's life whenever I want. Like I said, I'm the one pulling the strings."

"Enough," Shirley said. "Stop it."  
Griff and the others looked at Shirley with surprise. She didn't stammer nor was she looking down. She looked straight at Griff with anger. "You aren't the one who's pulling the strings here, Griff."  
"Then who is if you wanna be so smart." Griff chuckled. Shirley grinned. "As if I'd tell you." Griff, hearing this, turned red, approached her, and raised his hand to slap her. "Go ahead!" she dared. "Hit me! That's all you're good at doing!" He laughed and gripped her hair with the same hand he was going to hit her with.

"Since when did you get so tough?" he asked, "Must I remind you that I'm the only here that gives a shit about you. I can easily throw you away like all the other trash I had before."  
"So why am I still here, then huh?" she wanted to know. "Why haven't you thrown me away yet."  
"Because you listen to everything I say." Griff explained. "You're like a dog, Shirley. Whatever I say, you do. You'll do tricks like a dog, whenever the owner says to do them. Besides, you have to do whatever I say because I'm the one who's keeping you alive and I can take this life you have away in an instant."  
"You took my family away from me," Shirley growled at the smiling man. "You took away my friends, my home, my job! My daughter and my freedom." She pulled away from Griff's grasped and slapped him across the face. "You took everything away from me!" she yelled. "Up until now."  
"You must've lost your mind." Griff said, fixing himself. "You're nothing without me."  
"You're wrong, Griff." Shirley smiled at her bravery. "You _thought _I was nothing without you. _I _thought I was nothing without you. But then I realized something, you're nothing without me. For so long, I believed that you were the one who was going to protect me, that you were going to love me and take care of me...I was dead wrong. You've humiliated me, beaten me, and treated me like nothing!"  
"You are nothing!" Griff told her.  
"Shut the fuck up!" she demanded, catching him, as well as the others off guard. "It's my turn to talk. You're pathetic Griff. You're nothing without me. I was the one who gave you power over me, I was the one who made you think so highly of yourself. And it is _me _who is keeping _you _alive. Without me, Griff, you're nothing but a man with a gun."

Satisfied that she finally took a stand against her abuser, Shirley decided to end the conversation there and leave. Despite the fact she knew she wouldn't reach the door alive. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Griff demanded.  
"I'm moving on," she informed him. "I'm taking my power and my life back."  
"Or so you think," said Griff, aiming the gun at her.  
"What're you doing?" Keith shouted.  
"Shirley!" Florene cried.  
"Look out!" Shelly screamed.

But the gun went off and killed her instantly. When Shirley hit the ground, the cabin errupted with screams and hollers.  
"Holy fucking shit!" Keith yelled. "You killed her! You fucking killed her!"  
"Why'd you do it Griff?" cried Florene as she tried to console Shelly who was screaming and crying. "Why?"  
"I had to kill her!" Griff shouted. "She was going to go to the police."  
"She didn't say shit like that!" Keith yelled at the crazy man.  
"If I hadn't killed her, she would've taken the car and-"  
"Go where?" Florene screamed. "The snow storm will be here in anyday or minute! She would get stuck out there! Face it Griff, you killed her for nothing!"

"DO YOU WANNA BE NEXT!" he boomed. His voice overpowered them and Shelly's crying. "I got enough bullets to kill all you motherfuckers and that boy! I don't give a shit about the money. Killing all of you would be enough for me."  
"I didn't sign up for this shit!" Florene said. "This was suppose to be a simple kidnapping, take the boy and wait for the money! We weren't suppose to kill anyone! You crossed the line, Griff, you really crossed the line..."  
"So what if I did?" Griff asked. "None of you can do anything about it. Now listen and listen good. From here on out, you all will listen to me and do as I say. Otherwise, you're all fucking dead."  
"What'll we do now?" Keith said in a small voice.  
"First," Griff informed the group. "We hide the body. Then, since you dumbasses forgot to dispose of a location for the drop off point, we tell the boy's mother to deliver the money where ever we want her to deliver it at."  
"What'll we tell Henry...?" whimpered Shelly. "You killed his sister..."

"I'll tell him that he'll be next." Griff said. He pointed to Keith. "Take her body to the basement. I'll chop her up and feed her to the 'wolves'."  
"Fuck you," Keith said as he picked up Shirley's lifeless body and procceeded to the basement. Walking by Cain's room, he felt a cold wind hit his spine and it freaked him out. He walked downstairs into the basement and placed her on a table the was near some tools. When he looked down at Shirley he noticed that she was smiling. Keith never saw a smiling dead person before in his entire life. It made him sad.  
"Wish it were me instead of you." He told her. "But for some reason, I get the feeling that you'll get the last laugh in all of this..." He then headed upstairs and shut the basement door.  
Meanwhile, Cain was looking out the window, observing Henry, who was kicking at the ground, cursing and beating on some trees. The door to his room opened and he turned around. It was Griff staring at him with an evil grin. "Not so fun when the rabbit got the gun, now is it?" he asked the boy, who only stared at him. "Your little friend ain't here to protect you now, boy. You best be on your good behavior, else my strangling method isn't the only thing I'll do to you."

Griff started laughing hard at his own joke. He didn't see Cain lower his head and give this evil stare at him until he stopped. Griff's eye twitched as he saw the boy's eyes flash a fast bright red. Suddenly the door automatically slammed shut in Griff's face. It would have taken his fingers off had he not moved them! Shocked at this, Griff went angrily stormed into the living room.


End file.
